Scale



July 2, 1929. w, 5, sMlTH 7 1,719,734

' SCALE Filed Jan. 6, 1927 gwuemto'a W6. Smiih Patented July 2,1929. lfilt fi i UNITED STATES PATENT FF.

WALTER S. SMITH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

scans.

Application filed January 6, 1927.. Serial no. 159,415.

This invention relates to improvements in vention consists in the novel features of con-' scales, and more particularly to scales of the struction, combinations of elements and artype employing an even balanced beam and l'angements of parts hereinafter to be fully an associated indicating means whereby in described and pointed out in the appended 6O the operation of the scale under and over claims. weights with respect to a desired or predeter- In the accompanying drawings: mined weight may be read with accuracy and Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a convenience. The primary object of the inscale constructed'in accordance with the feavention resides in the provision of an im tures of the present invention, parts of the 65 proved motion transmitting means between scale being broken away and shown in section the movable beam of the scale and the movto set forth more clearly interior mechanism, able weight indicating mechanism, by which Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional a structure is provided of sensitive, friction view of the connection, comprising the presminimizing formbut at the same time excepsent invention,between-the beam and indicat- 70 tionally strong and durable and not apt to ing means ofthe scale, a 7

break or get out oforder. Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional In even balanced scales of the type set forth view on the line 8-3-of Figure 2, it has been customary in the past to connect Figure 4; is a detail perspective View show the evenly balanced beam at points spaced ingthe beam and indicator connecting means 7 equidistantly from the axis of turning movepreferably employed in carrying out the presment thereof with the drum or hub of the out invention. a movably mounted indicator arm by a flexible Referring more particularly to the drawmetallic strip. This construction, while eliming the numeral 1 designates a scale formed inating friction and error to a marked extent, in accordance with the present invention. 50

has not been altogether satisfactory in the Generally,the scaleincludesacustomaryform commercial operationof such scales, for the of base2, provided centrally with upstandreason that the straps are formed from very ing supports for the reception ofthe knife thin strips of metal which, in the operation edge trunnions 3 projecting horizontally and of the scale, tend tocrystallize and fracture, rigidly from the central port-ion of-an evenly requiring frequent replacements and loss of balanced beam 4, the trunnions 3 serving as use of the scales. a major 'axisof turningunovement on the In accordance with the present invention part of the beam. The outer ends of the the improved connection between the beam beam, at. equally spaced parts from'the axis and the indicating mechanism providesama- 3, are provided with the usual weight re- 90 terially more durable constructionhaving a ceiver 5, the depending stems 6 of which hav much longer life and freedom from repairs ing their lower ends connected with a check and mechanical difficulties, and consists in rod 7, pivoted'as usual within the confines of providing the beam with a resilient crank exthe base 2,, these connections providing the tensionand in providing the hub portion of usual parallelogram commonin scales of this 95,

40 the'indicating arm with a similar and comtype, I I

plemental extension, the said crank extension Inorder to balance the beam and to pro.- being connected by means of a self sustaining vide forces tending to 'maintain the same in connecting strip, which is maintained under a given neutral position, when unweighted, some degree of tensile stress by the resiliency one side of the beam is connected with'a de- 45 of the crank extensions, and is somounted in pending rod 8, threadedat its lower endfor connection with thelatter as to impartpushthe reception of an adjustable nut 9 with and pull movements to the indicator arm in which is connected the upper end of atension accordance with the oscillation of the assospringlO, the lower end of the'latter being ciated beam, there being frictionally sup-- connected asat 11 to a stationarypoint in ported movable connections between the ends the lower part ofthe base 2. The" opposite of the connecting strip and said crank extena end of the bean as regards the end with sions so as to compensate for variations in which the spring is connected, is of weighted the respective operating positions of the inor heavier construction than the opposing or dicating and beam means. complemental end, whereby through the ad- -With these and other objects in View, as will just-merit of the spring 10' the entire beam appear as the description proceeds, the instructure may be brought into a positionof balance, commonly termed the neutral position. I, of course, do not limit myself to this method of balancing the beam, or in providing means for maintaining the same normally in a neutral position, but may resort to other constructions now generally known for accomplishing this purpose. The

heavier ends of the beam may, if desired be connected with a dash pct 12. so as to stabilize the oscillation of the beamfollowing the application of weight thereto.

Arising from the base 2 is a tower 13, rigidly connected with the base. and which is adapted to contain the weight indicating mechanism. designated generally bv the numeral 14. In the simple form of the invention disclosed, the interior of the tower is provided with a su port or bracket 15. provided with seats. for the reception of the knife edge trunnions 16 provided ricjidlv in connection with the hub 17 of an indicating: arm 18. This arm normall extends vertically upwardly from the hub 17. and. due o the balance of the beam 4, is maintained normally in thecenter of a graduated weight indicatintrsurface 19 provided in the top of the tower 13. the deflections of the beam from neutral position causing the upper or outer end of the indicating arm to travel. to one side or the other of the weight scale 19, to in dicate the'departure of the scale beam from its desired normal or neutral position. As

previously stated. and if desired. a rigidl held torsion strip may be employed for mounting: the indicator arm 18 in lieu of the knife edge trunnion disclosed at 16.

To avoid the necessit of usinn' a stra connection between the beam and the hub 17 of the indicatinq arm, as has been employed in the past. the present invention comprehends the provision of an improved con nection of a more durable and sensitive character between the beam and the indicator. This improved connection in the present instance has been shown as comprising a bracket 20, rigidly secured at its lower end to the beam 4 at a point spaced from the axis 3 of the beam. the said bracket being there fore mounted for oscillation in connection with the beam and is preferably disposed within the tower 13. The upper end of the bracket is provided with a resi ient strip of metal of high oracle steel, which strip is'indicated generally by the numeral 21 The lower end of the strip is secured as at 22 to the upper end of the bracket 20. while the upper end of said strip has been vertically recessed to provide a multiplicity of spaced resilient fingers 23. In this instance the outer of the fingers 23 are p ovided with inwardly turned V shaped recesses while the central finger is formed to include an upwardly directed recess portion 25.

A similar strip 26, which ma be termed a crank extension, is provided in connection with the hub 17 of the indicator. The strip 26 has the lower portion thereof secured as at 27 to the hub of said indicator and arises vertically therefrom being offset horizontally as indicated at 28, and then provided with a plurality of spaced upwardly and vertically disposed fingers 29. corresponding in form and construction to the fingers 23 of the strip 21. In combination wit-h this formation the strips 21 and 26 are connected by a substantially horizontally disposed metallic bar 30, having the outer ends thereof provided with laterally enlarged heads 31 and with longitudinally extending recesses 32 in the central portion thereof. The heads 31 are shaped to produce knife edges 33, which are receivable within the recesses 24 provided in the fingers 23 of the strips 21 and 26. Also. the recesses 32 have their inner ends provided with knife edge portions 34. which have seated in engagement with the recess portions of the central fingers of the strips 21 and 26.

By virtue of this construction it will be seen that when the'bar occupies its operative position between said resilient strips it is resiliently sustained in connection therewith without the necessity of direct mechanical connections such as pivoting studs or rivets. The bar may be said to float between said strips, but is yet carried thereby in such manner as to minimize the presence of friction in the motion transmitting connection thus af-.

forded. The resiliency of the tongues on the ends of said strips serves to maintain the bar under tension. eliminating; looseness or rela-' tive movement between parts except for the substantially frictionless movements provided between the knife edges 33 and 34 and their corresponding; seats. It will be observed that the outer of the fingers or tongues 23 act to ap ly tension to the bar 30, while the central. fingers or tongues apply compressive forces thereto. In this manner the bar is securely positioned to transmit motion bet-ween the beam and the indicator in an effective and accurate manner, but a connection is provided which does not deteriorate. crystallize or fracture under thejars and jolts imparted to the scale when the latter is used commercially. Moreover, the structure has the capacity of absorbing initial shock .to a very great extent and to relieve the indicating mechanism of strain. For example, if a weight is sharply applied to one or the others of the receivers 5 the stresses set up are initially received in the flexible fingers 23. which absorb the shock to a very large extentbefore the motion is finally imparted to the indicator. It is in this respect particularly that the construction enables the sca e to be employed for long: periods of time without requiring repair or adjustinep VVhile the operatinr; connections between the beam and .the indicator has been shown on hut'one side of the scale, it will be understood that said connections may be placed on the opposite side of the scale or, if desired, on both sides without departing from the principles above set forth. Also other changes of an analogous nature may be made wlthout departing from the spiritand scopebeam is multiplied by the indicator, said eon nectingmeans serving to absorb shock and vibration imparted to the beam before said shock and vibrations are allowed to reach the indicator.

3. The combination withthe movable beam of a scale, of an indicator supported independently of said beam, spaced resilient fingers projecting laterally from said beam and indicator to one side of the pivotal axis thereof, and a bar connecting the outer resilient ends of said fingers,

4. In a scale, an evenly balanced pivotally mounted beam, a weight indicator movably mounted in the plane of the axis of turning movement of the beam but to one side of and spaced from said axis, spaced crank extensions of resilient material carried by said beam and indicator, and a connecting member between the outer resilient ends of said crank extension.

5. In a scale. a pivotally mounted evenly balanced beam, an indicator pivotally mounted in the plane of the axis of turning move ment of said beam, but spaced from said axis, resilient crank extensions connected respectively with said beam and indicator arm, the crank extension carried by said beam being longer than the crank extension ofsaid arm,

' ends of said crank extensions.

6. In a scale, a pivotally mounted beam, a pivotally mounted indicator spaced from said beam, crank extensions extending from said beam and arm and terminating in spaced relationship from the pivotal axes thereof, and a connecting member uniting the outer resilient ends of said crank extensions, said memher having the ends thereof engaged frictionlessly with said crank extensions.

'7. In a scale, a pivotally mounted beam, a pivotally mounted indicator arm spaced from said beam, crank extensions projecting from the pivotal portions of said beam and arm, the crank extension carried by the beam being materially longer than the crank extension carried by said arm, and a connecting member having a resilient connection between the adjoining outer ends of said crank extension.

8. In a scale, a pivotally mounted beam, a pivotally mounted indicator. crank extensions connected with the axial portions of said beam and indicator, the crank extension of the beam being longer than the crank extension of the indicator, said crank extensions having the outer ends thereof provided with a plurality of resilient fingers formed to include recesses, and a connecting bar provided with knife edge trunnions at the ends thereof frictionally received between said fingers with said trunnions received within said recesses.

9. In a scale, a pivotally mounted beam, a

WALTER S. SMITH. 

